Looking Back at My Greatest Adventure

Thomas Stodghill Ferguson,China Norfolk Academy

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I am very fortunate to have been able to participate in this program. I have grown as a leader, follower, student, and friend as a result of the challenges and opportunities presented to me. My instructors Matt and Shi Qi Burton were the perfect choices for the job, and I loved getting to know them […]

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[post_content] => Fear: something we all have, something we all want to conquer. Trust: for me, it does not come easily. I am the group member who loves being in charge. I will do all the work voluntarily and I will work very hard to ensure a good grade on the project. I do not trust people that easily, especially when it comes to school and danger. Today I was put to the test. We drove from Tiger Leaping Gorge to Li Jiang and the first part of the drive challenged me. Winding in a van through the narrow roads, the van’s wheels only a few feet from a cliff, I did not find the ride nearly as fun as the rest of the group. At points, I had to close my eyes because I was too terrified to look. The fear kept building as the turns went on, but I hit panic mode when I saw it: a boulder blocking most of the road. All I could see was the few feet of space we had to go around the obstacle, and I could have sworn we were heading off the side of the cliff. My peers were cracking jokes, Hannah even saying, “Well guys, not many people can say they died in China”, but I was alone in my seat practically crying. I made it through the drive, though I was not at all reassured when the driver claimed, “I’m a pro-I’ve done this several times. Don’t be scared”. Although in the moment my life flashed before my eyes, looking back I realize that drive was meaningful for me. I was forced to place my trust in a stranger; my life depended on him. I had no option but to trust him. I faced a big fear on that drive and took a baby step towards trusting others in groups. I learned that if you can trust someone else, in a lot of cases it turns out okay. The bus ride taught me how to be a follower in a group instead of having to be in control. It’s funny how the little things can be the most meaningful…
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The Memorable Ride

Stuart Luter,China Norfolk Academy

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Fear: something we all have, something we all want to conquer. Trust: for me, it does not come easily. I am the group member who loves being in charge. I will do all the work voluntarily and I will work very hard to ensure a good grade on the project. I do not trust people […]

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06/25/14

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Stuart Luter

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The Memorable Ride

Stuart Luter,China Norfolk Academy

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Fear: something we all have, something we all want to conquer. Trust: for me, it does not come easily. I am the group member who loves being in charge. I will do all the work voluntarily and I will work very hard to ensure a good grade on the project. I do not trust people […]

Posted On

06/25/14

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Stuart Luter

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[post_content] => Unfortunately, I had to miss the first day of our hike on Tiger Leaping Gorge because of some nasty travelers diarrhea and vomiting, but getting sick was an adventure in itself. I had the opportunity to receive care from a rural Chinese clinic and to take an interesting drive on a steep, gravel road with no guardrails up to the first rest house on Tiger Leaping Gorge. The doctor in the rural clinic was exceptional. I was impressed with the quality of care in such a rural area. Of course it was not as large and advanced as a city hospital, but it was surprisingly well stocked with medications. I decided that this well stocked clinic is evidence of the rapidly growing tourist industry in the Naxi village where we stayed. Every day hundreds of tourists pay the Naxi locals for horse rides around the village. Unfortunately, all this tourism just leads to more pollution in the area though it does provide revenue. All the trash and pollution leads me to question whether tourism is truly good for the area.
After all those adventures I did get to participate in the second day of the hike. We enjoyed fantastic views of the Himalayan peaks, which sparked interesting feelings. I personally reflected on how much this trip has affected the group. The growth in everyone’s independence and leadership capacity became apparent to me on this hike. We all take on our roles now with enthusiasm and a sense of responsibility. For instance the leaders of the day take on the responsibility of nearly all decisions and do not complain when others continue to ask the same questions again and again. After taking on these roles for nearly three weeks, I think that the benefits of this trip will help us long after the plane ride back to Virginia.
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Lasting Benefits

Wyatt Miller,China Norfolk Academy

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Unfortunately, I had to miss the first day of our hike on Tiger Leaping Gorge because of some nasty travelers diarrhea and vomiting, but getting sick was an adventure in itself. I had the opportunity to receive care from a rural Chinese clinic and to take an interesting drive on a steep, gravel road with […]

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06/25/14

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Wyatt Miller

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[post_content] => I woke up this morning to the rooster crowing from Avni’s house. I was excited to ask to work in the field with my family but when I did they seemed very confused and just kept pointing upwards saying “laoshi” which means go to teacher’s house. Avni, Stuart, and I decided to venture off in to the fields on our own and after getting lost and almost attacked by dogs we finally found one couple in the vast set of fields. We walked through mud and puddles and poop to get to them, and we pleaded “Jung women bung ni” (Can we help you?). We probably looked so dirty and desperate that the woman just smiled and showed us how to replant seeds. Nothing could’ve made us happier than finally being useful instead of just sitting in their kitchen and eating their food. Dirty hands are the best reward.
Later in the day, our whole group set out to find a Chinese temple outside the village. After marching for 3 hours along the side of the lake through villages and fields with no particular knowledge of the location of the temple, we found a map. And the map showed the temple was still 1 hour away, which would mean walking back at 10:00 at night, which meant we had to turn around without getting to the temple. I will admit I was frustrated. We had come so far only to give up without reaching the final goal. When something is just out of my reach, I feel like we are missing out on some profound experience. But our leader, Wyatt, made the right decision; we barely made it home for dinner and everyone was tired and sore. An extra 2 hours of hiking would not have helped. Truthfully, our failure brought our group closer together. We all shared the frustration but we were all able to move on and make the lemonade out of lemons. It just goes to prove the classic saying “The journey is more important than the destination.”
[post_title] => A Day in Naxi village
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A Day in Naxi village

Jessica Williams,China Norfolk Academy

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I woke up this morning to the rooster crowing from Avni’s house. I was excited to ask to work in the field with my family but when I did they seemed very confused and just kept pointing upwards saying “laoshi” which means go to teacher’s house. Avni, Stuart, and I decided to venture off in […]

Field Day

Pablo Vazquez,China Norfolk Academy

Description

All the girls were up bright and early eager to go down to the fields. The day was cool and picturesque with clouds kissing the mountains in the background. As the sun broke the cloudy morning sky, Naxi women were busy instructing our group how to work the land. Around nine, most of the boys […]

Jacob’s Yak for June 21, 14

Jacob Gusentine,China Norfolk Academy

Description

Yesterday was our final day in the Naxi village. WE spent the time learning and growing as a group, and thanks to Erik we were a le to “grasp” the Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist philosophies, and gained an understanding of how Modern China came to be. After our lesson was done we spent the rest […]

Village Homestay Parents

Matt Burton,China Norfolk Academy

Description

The students have started their second homestay for the program. This afternoon saw them meet their Lashihai parents, and head off to take part in rural China life. Over the next few days we’ll be exploring the China in these beautiful surroundings